Greetings!
I wish to pick the collective brain of this audience. I'm a US certificated drone pilot, as well as hold a sport pilot license. My question regards the "maximum" altitude that I might fly my drones. Following is the pertinent (I believe) regulation:
(a) The groundspeed of the small unmanned aircraft may not exceed 87 knots (100 miles per hour).
(b) The altitude of the small unmanned aircraft cannot be higher than 400 feet above ground level, unless the small unmanned aircraft:
(1) Is flown within a 400-foot radius of a structure; and
(2) Does not fly higher than 400 feet above the structure's immediate uppermost limit.
My scenario is if I want to view a tall vertical structure (tower, mountain, building), then it appears to me that as long as I'm within in 400' of that structure, I could fly to the maximum height of the structure in question plus another 400'. So, if there's 1000' tall antenna, I could legally fly to a max altitude of 1400' AGL as long as I'm within 400' of this antenna.
What's the collective viewpoint? Are there other things that I should consider in addition to the likely strong, turbulent winds? Are there local regulations that you might have run into that I should consider?
Manned aircraft are supposed to keep a mile away from antennas, as well as 1000' above populated areas, so I would hope to avoid manned aircraft.
Has anyone here pushed this envelope and, if so, what were your considerations and experiences.
I'm primarily an aerial photographer with my drone, so flying to the height of local antennas would give me a different view. Additionally, there are larger metropolises than mine that might be interesting to fly, but I want to be aware and prepared.
Thank you all and I look forward to your responses.
Tim
I wish to pick the collective brain of this audience. I'm a US certificated drone pilot, as well as hold a sport pilot license. My question regards the "maximum" altitude that I might fly my drones. Following is the pertinent (I believe) regulation:
§ 107.51 Operating limitations for small unmanned aircraft.
A remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small unmanned aircraft system must comply with all of the following operating limitations when operating a small unmanned aircraft system:(a) The groundspeed of the small unmanned aircraft may not exceed 87 knots (100 miles per hour).
(b) The altitude of the small unmanned aircraft cannot be higher than 400 feet above ground level, unless the small unmanned aircraft:
(1) Is flown within a 400-foot radius of a structure; and
(2) Does not fly higher than 400 feet above the structure's immediate uppermost limit.
My scenario is if I want to view a tall vertical structure (tower, mountain, building), then it appears to me that as long as I'm within in 400' of that structure, I could fly to the maximum height of the structure in question plus another 400'. So, if there's 1000' tall antenna, I could legally fly to a max altitude of 1400' AGL as long as I'm within 400' of this antenna.
What's the collective viewpoint? Are there other things that I should consider in addition to the likely strong, turbulent winds? Are there local regulations that you might have run into that I should consider?
Manned aircraft are supposed to keep a mile away from antennas, as well as 1000' above populated areas, so I would hope to avoid manned aircraft.
Has anyone here pushed this envelope and, if so, what were your considerations and experiences.
I'm primarily an aerial photographer with my drone, so flying to the height of local antennas would give me a different view. Additionally, there are larger metropolises than mine that might be interesting to fly, but I want to be aware and prepared.
Thank you all and I look forward to your responses.
Tim